Travel Inspired & Travel Inspiring

Category Archives: Narrative

Married. No kids. Born in Afghanistan. Female. Can you believe these are details that are actually REQUIRED on a person’s CV in Germany (and most of Europe for that matter)? The best part is that you are also required to include a photo of yourself. I’m actually quite shocked that there has not been an uproar about requiring these details to apply for a job – it’s essentially inviting the employer to discriminate against you using a variety of different criteria!

As much as I have complained about my quirky and sometimes annoying integration classmates, I have to say, sometimes I feel totally in awe of them and their lives…and I admire what they are doing and what they have overcome in their lives.

Case in Point: The Other Afghan

I still don’t know too much about him as he arrived in our class mid-way through September. He kind of looked like a hipster/skater dude with the VANS sneakers and wild, ruly hair so I was a bit surprised when he said “Ich komme aus Afghanistan”. I was so excited – I nearly clapped my hands with joy! We were getting out numbered with Iranians in the class so another Afghan was truly welcome!

During break-times, I have gotten to know him a little better – and I’ve grown to admire him – from being pushed around in Iran, to being jailed in Afghanistan to having his parents arrested (last week!) – it’s a life that I do not wish to know but need to be exposed to in order to be reminded of how much we should appreciate what we have and the freedoms we enjoy. Continue reading →

“Ohhhhh, no meat? No dairy? Well, great – another Vegan”, you say – with that little glint in your eye that says “Ugh, another animal rights activist. I’m going to eat a big, fat steak in front of her to show her that I LIKE eating meat and that I don’t have a problem eating animals. Yum.”

Since June 7th, I’ve been trying a little “diet experiment” => no meat, no cheese, no eggs, no milk, no refined sugars, no corn syrup or fructose glucose crap, no other weird chemicals or processed foods – only plant-based foods. But I don’t like to be called a Vegan.

I tend to associate Vegans (whether correct or not) with animal rights and/or some sort of political agenda. The Vegan Society seems to agree with me – their definition of a Vegan is “…someone who tries to live without exploiting animals, for the benefit of animals, people and the planet.” I’m not doing this diet for the sake of animals – I’m doing it for myself.

Plus, according to PETA, Hubba Bubba Bubblegum and Jollyranchers are vegan. WTF? So you stop eating animal products but instead ingest a bunch of chemical crap? That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

The excitement of game day is already in the air in Berlin. Germany is so close. They have a big hurdle to get through tomorrow, beating Italy, to make it to the finals, but many Germans believe that this is their best year – this is the best chance Germany has to win a European Championship title. I wouldn’t say I take the game too seriously…but there are definitely things I enjoy.

I thought it was going to be a nightmare to get my residence visa after joining my husband in Germany. I actually found quite the opposite. If you follow the right steps and provide the correct documents – it can actually be quite easy. This is just my experience and by sharing it, I hope I can help answer some questions that others may have. Continue reading →